Quote:
Originally Posted by FISCracer
If there is ever any issue with the eligibility I would argue that it should be with MKIIIs with chassis 7/xxx which should be running 1622 MGA engines as the factory cars did at Le Mans in period.
|
I think you may have a small typo in there. The 7/z/xxx format (where z=B,C or F designated which engine was fitted) was used for the Mk1, Mk2 and Mk2a models and started at 7/C/101.
When the MkIII model with the brand new all round independent double wishbone chassis design was introduced in April '62 the format changed to 8/xxx with the first car being something like 8/525. These cars were produced from June to October 1962 and then again from late 1962 until August 1963, the interruptions caused by various states of financial distress.
The MkIIIs were fitted with the MGA 1622cc engine as standard although, as noted, by special customer order some may have been fitted with the 1798cc 'B' engine which became the standard factory fit from Sept 1963 onwards. At that point the chassis number format changed to 9/xxx with the first such car being 9/663.
The format changed again when the 'Kamm' or 'Manx' tail was introduced on the 1800S and the designation used was 65/5/1XXX until the end of 1965. When Martin Lilley started making 1800S Granturas again in early 1966 he used a new format of 18/XXX starting with 18/001. The cars were essentially unchanged aside from some cosmetic changes to various bits of trim.
Somewhat confusingly the chassis numbering format didn't change with the introduction in mid-1966 of the MkIV 1800S which had a slightly longer wheelbase and different engine position.
All of this comes from careful reading of the various published marque books by the way.
As far as eligibility goes I think it is really up to event organisers to decide whether they want pre-63 or pre-66 cars and then 'police' things accordingly. Classic Le Mans, for example, don't seem to mind having MkIII 1800 cars running despite the fact that the sole outing for TVR in period was 1962 with a 1622cc MkIII. Conversely, a MkIII 1800 would not be invited to join the Carol Spagg/Ben Cussons pre-63 GT series.